Trap.



' PATENTED APR. 2, 1907. H. J. HOUTSINGBR & H. A. STILSON.

TRAP.v

APPLIOATION FILED 2111211906.

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UNITED PA'rENT ola-Fien HENRY J. I-IOUTSINGER AND HERBERT A. STILSON, OF ROCK FALLS, ILLI- N OIS, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO STERLING SPECIALTY COMPANY, OF STERLING, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

TRAP.

Patented April 2, 1907.

To @ZZ whom, it may concern;

Be it known that we, HENRY J. HOUT- sINGEn and HERBERT A. STILsoN, citizens of the United States, residing at Rock Falls, in the county of Whiteside and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Traps, of which the -following is a specification,

Our invention relates particularly to traps for vermin of the character of rats, mice, or the like.

Our primary object is to provide a trap of the character indicated capable of resetting itself after being sprung, whereby the trap will operate a number of times without attention or until its power is exhausted.

The invention is illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a side elevational view of our improved trap; Fig. 2, an opposite side elevational view, Fig. 3, a vertical sectional view taken as indicated at line 3 of Fig. 4; Fig. '4, a plan view of the device; Fig. 5, a broken vertical section taken as indicated at line 5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6, a broken horizontal section taken as indicated at line 6 of Fi 5, and Fig. 7 a broken horizontal section ta en as indicated at line 7 of Fig. 2.

In the embodiment shown the device comprises a casing or frame A, a rotary shaft B, journaled in the upper portion of the casing and equipped with a striker B', a coil-spring B2, having its inner end'secured to the shaft B and its outer end secured to a stud B3, rojecting inwardly from one side of the casing, trip mechanism C, controlling the striker and equipped with a spring C, a tension-relieving device C2, carried by the shaft B and serving to automatically relieve the spring tension upon the pedal of the trip mechanism after the arrest of the striker by the trip mechanism, a stationary stop C3, coacting with an automatically projected and retracted stop C4, carried by they tension-relieving device C2, and a bait-receptacle D, connected with the casing A adjacent to the free end of the tri mechanism.

he casing A preferably comprises side members a and a bottom member a', the ends and top of the casing being open. The sides of the casing are separated by a comparatively narrow space suiiicient, however, to enable a small animal to enter.

The shaft B comprises a bolt journaled in and projecting through the casing, as shown. The striker B comprises a metal bar b, lying adjacent to the inner surface of one side of the casing and secured at its center upon the shaft B to rotate therewith. The end portions of the bar are twisted and bent to form striking members b', extending in a transverse plane and approximately of a width e ual to the space between the side members ofthe casing. It will be understood that the striker is rotated through the medium of its shaft and the spring connected therewith when the trip mechanism is operated to release the striker. The bar-form body of the striker is conned between one side of the casing and the spring B2, as clearly appears from F ig. 4. The stud B3 is short enough to allow space between its extremity and the adjacent side of the casing'to permit rotation of the striker.

The trip mechanism C, comprises a vertical lever c, supported at its upper end on a pivot c and constituting a closure for on'e end of the casing, a small bell-crank lever c2, supported on the pivot c and having an arm c3, adapted to engage an end of the striker, and an arm c4, adapted to bear against the lever c beneath the pivot c, a spring c5, serving to maintain the bell-crank lever c2 in operative position with its arm c4 bearing against the lever c, a pedal c, substantially parallel with the bottom of the casing and supported centrally on a pivot c7, extending transversely across the casing near the bottom thereof, a catch cs, carried by the rear end of the pedal and enga ing a slot o9 in the lower end of the lever c, t e member cs, having at its inner e'nd a downwardly-projecting extension 010, affording a stop which rests upon the bottom of the casing, a lever c, supported on a pivot cl2, extending across the casing adjacent to the lower end of the lever c and having a downwardly-curved front end cl3, and links c c, connecting the lever 011 with the central portion of the lever c. The

s ring C has an arm 016, which extendsalong t e exterior of one side of the caslng 1n the IOO path of the tension-relieving device C2, said arm having an upcurved extremity c, from which depends a member c, having an inturned arm c1, which extends through an openin C20 in the casing and is positioned beneat the free end of the pedal c. The arm c1G is carried by a coil C21, from which projects inwardly a pivotal portion 022, which extends through the casing near the rear end thereof and is equipped on the opposite side of the casing with an arm C23, having an inturned extremity C24, which may be caused to engage any one of a series of perforations c25, with which the adjacent side of the casing is provided. The series of perforations c25 is for use in adjusting the tension of the spring.

The tension-relieving device C2 comprises a sheet-metal member or bar c2, fixedly secured on the shaft B outside of the casing above the free end of the arm c16 of the spring C, an arm c, j ournaled on the shaft B outside the member c2G and equipped with a leafspring C28, having' its upper free end turned inwardly to aHord a cam 029, projecting through a slot e30 in the arm C27, said cam having a sloping surface 031, and the stop C4 in the form of a slide connected with the lower end of the arm 627 and normally held in' its elevated or retracted position by means of a spring cs2, connected with the slide and with the arm 027, the limit of movement upwardly of said slide being a stop C33, with which the arm C27 is provided, as shown in Fi 5. The lower end of the arm C27 is provi ed with an outwardly-turned downwardlycurved arm 034, affording on its lower side a groove or cam which engages the arm c16 of the spring C. The opposite lateral edges of the member 026, which rotates with the shaft B, aords abrupt shoulders at points 035, which serve to engage an abrupt shoulder e36 on the inwardly-projecting end C29 of the leafspring C28, thereby to cause the arm ci"7 to rotate with the member -C26. The member C26 is further provided at points opposite the points 035 with struck-in portions c3?, affording sloping surfaces over which the sloping surface C31 of the spring 028 may ride, so that the arm C27 may continue to rotate under its own inertia after the 'striker has been arrested by the trip mechanism and the member c26 has come to a rest with the striker. When the shaft comes to a stop, owing to the arrest of the striker by`the trip mechanism, the arm G27 continues to rotate under its own momentum until it comes to the position shown in Fig. 1, the slide C4 being projected during this movement under its acquired momentum and the centrifugal force acting upon it, the slide moving to the position indicated in dotted lines so as to engage the stationary stop C3. After the arm 027 is arrested by the stop C3 the slide C4 is retracted by its spring and the member c34 then holds the free end of the arm 016 depressed,

thereby holding the arm c19 of the spring out of contact with the free end of the pedal c, as shown in Fig. 3.

rlhe bait-chamber D comprises a box having a tongue d, removably entered in a loop d', with which the casing A is provided. The

inner side of the box D, as indicated in Fig. 7 is open, as indicated at d2, and this opening registers with'an opening d3 in the casing A adjacent to the pedal c6. It is necessary for an animal attempting to secure bait--say a piece of cheese placed in the receptacle D- to step upon the pedal c, and thereby spring the trap.

The casing A is equipped at one end of its bottom with arms or supports E, connected with the casing-bottom by pivots e and having'iianges e', affording shoulders e2, which abut against the sides of the casing when the arms are in the extended position. When desired, the arms E may be turned upon their pivots to fold them beneath the bottom of the casing with the flanges c adjacent to the sides of the casing.

The operation may be briefly summarized. The spring B2 may be wound by turning the striker B in a direction opposite the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3, the bellcrank lever c2 working idly to permit the arms of the striker to pass it. During the winding operation the tension-relieving device of the trip mechanism may be moved to the right from the position shown in Fig. 1, so as to allow the full pressure of the spring upon the pedal of the trip mechanism, so that in the event ofaccidental slippage of the striker from the hand of the erson winding the device the striker would e arrested by striking against the bell-crank lever c2. After the winding o eration the tension-relieving device may lie revolved in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1 until it occupies the position shown in Fig. 1, thereby depressing the free end of the arm C16 of the spring C and relieving the tension upon the pedal c6. With the trap in this condition a mouse entering to nibble at the cheese placed in the re- IOC ICS

IXO

ceptacle D would depress the free end of the pedal c6, thereby releasing the lever c and permitting the striker to be rotated through the medium of its shaft and the spring B2 connected therewith. The striker would thereupon make a half-revolution, encountering the arm c11 during this movement and drawing the lever c to the closed posi' tion, where it is engaged by the catch cs of the pedal c6, it being understood that during the initial movement ofthe striker the member 026 engages the spring C28 of the tension-relieving device and frees the tension-relieving'device from the arm c16 of the spring C', so that the full pressure of the spring is upon the pedal, insuring the proper action of the trip mechanism in arresting the movement of t e striker. After the movement of the striker is arrested IIS the tension-relieving device continues to rotate until it comes to the position shown in Fig. 1, relieving the tension upon the pedal of the trip mechanism, leaving the trip mechanism free to be operated again. The striker moves with such force as to deal an instantaneously fatal blow to the mouse and eject it from the casing, so that the trap is ,immediately in readiness for a second operation.

.lt will be understood that the purpose of the tension-relieving device is to enable a stiff spring to be used in connection with the trip mechanism for the purpose of assuring the arrest of the striker after it has made a half-revolution, it being necessary under such conditions to then relieve the tension upon the trip mechanism to enable the trap to be sprung. The purpose of the lever c is to insure the inward movement of the lever c in time to make engagement with the pedal ci before the striker has completed a half-revolution. It would be difficult, if not impossible, to secure the desired result by using a ,spring for the purpose.

Many changes in details of construction Within the spirit of our invention are feasible, as will be readily understood. .Hence the foregoing detailed description is understood to be made for clearness of understanding only.

What we regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A trap comprising a striker, storedpower mechanism for actuating the striker, trip mechanism equipped with a spring, and automatic means for relieving the tension of the spring upon the trip to enable it to be easily sprung.

2. A trap comprising a striker, stored, power mechanism for actuating the striker,

trip mechanism equipped with a spring, a

tension-relieving device equipped with an automatically-actuated stop, and a st op with Which said first-named stop makes automatic engagement and disengagement.

3. A trap comprising a potentially-mov able rotary striker, spring-equipped trip mechanism automatically arresting the striker in its rotation, and automatic means for relieving the tension 0f the trip mechanism.

4. A trap comprising a potentiallyemovable rotary striker, trip mechanism equipped with a spring, and a tension-relieving device for relieving the pressure of said spring upon the trip mechanism comprising a rotary member actuated with the striker and moving under its own inertia after the arrest of movement of the striker to relieve the pressure of the spring upon the trip mechanism, for the purpose set forth.

5. A trap comprising a potentially-movable rotary striker, trip mec anism equipped Witha spring, a member rotating with the striker, a tension-relieving member, and co4- operating means on said two members for moving the second-named member through the medium of the firstnamed member and permitting a continuation of said movement after the iirst-named member has come to a rest, whereby the tension of said s ring upon the trip mechanism is relieved ater the arrest of the striker, for the purpose set forth.

6. A trap comprising a` potentially-movable rotary striker, a member secured to and rotating with the shaft of said striker, trip mechanism serving to arrest said striker at each half-revolution, and a tension-relieving member actuated by the member secured to said shaft and making a complete revolution at each half-revolution of the striker.

7. A trap comprising a potentially-movable rotary striker, a member secured to and rotating with the shaft of said striker, trip mechanism serving to arrest said striker at each half-revolution, and a tension-relieving member equipped with a spring engaged by the member secured to said shaft, said spring serving as a means for actuating the tensionrelieving member and the tension-relieving member being movable after the arrest of movement of the member secured to said shaft, for the purpose set forth.

8. A trap comprising a shaft a potentiallymovable rotary striker mounted on the shaft, trip mechanism equipped with a spring, a tension-relieving member j ournaled on said shaft, and means actuated by the shaft for giving an impetus to the tensionrelieving member during the movement of said striker, for the purpose set forth.

9. A trap comprising a potentially-inevable rotary striker, trip mechanism operating to arrest said striker at each half-revolun tion, a shaft for said striker, a spring for the trip mechanism, a spring-engaging member journaled on said shaft, means actuated by the shaft for giving an limpetus to said spring-engaging member, and a yieldinglyheld automaticallyprojected stop carried by the spring-engaging member, for the purpose set forth.

l0. A trap comprising a shaft a potentiallymovable rotary striker mounted on the shaft, trip mechanism for the striker including a pedal, a spring adapted to exert pressure upon the pedal, a spring-engaging member journaled on said shaft, means carried by the shaft for giving an impetus to said springengaging member, a stationary stop, and a stop movably connected with the s ring-engaging member, for the purpose set orth.

11. A trap comprising a casing, a shaft a potentially-movable rotary striker mounted on the shaft journaled in said casing, trip mechanism including a substantially vertical lever at one end of the casing and a substantially horizontal pedal engaging said lever, a spring adjustably connected with the said casing and having aforwardly-projecting arm IOO equipped with a projection adapted to engage said pedal, a tension-relieving member journaled on said shaft adapted to engage said spring, and means connected with said shaft for giving an impetus to the tension-relieving member, for the purpose set forth.

12. A trap comprising a casing having an open end, a potentially-movable striker pivoted in the upper portion of said casing, and trip mechanism comprising a lever pivotally connected with the upper portion of the opposite end of said casing, a bell-crank lever engaging said 'first-named lever and having an arm supporting the striker, said bellcrank lever being movable idly in one direction, and a pedal controlling said first-named lever.

13. A trap comprising a casing having an open vertical end, a coil-spring connected with said casing, a horizontal shaft connected With said coil-spring and equipped With arms swinging in a vertical plane and constituting a striker, and trip mechanism comprising a lever forming a closure for the opposite end of the casing, and a pedal controlling said lever.

14. A trap comprising a casing, a potentially-movable rotarjT striker mounted in the upper portion thereof, and trip mechanism comprising a lever With means for engaging the striker, a pedal controlling said lever, and a lever adapted to move said :first-named lever to the closed position and projecting into the path of the striker.

15. A trap comprising a potentially-movable rotary striker7 trip mechanism comprising a lever With means for arresting the striker, a lever connected With said firstnamed lever and projecting into the path of the striker, a pedal controlling said firstnamed lever, a spring for exerting pressure upon the pedal, a tension-relieving device, and means moving With the striker for giving an impetus to said tension-relieving device, for the purpose set forth.

16. A trap comprising a casing, a potentially-movable rotary striker mounted on a horizontal pivot in the upper portion thereof, said casing having an open vertical end, and trip mechanism comprising a lever constituting a closure for the other end of the casing,

18. A trap comprising a casing having an l l open end and an opening at one side, a potentially-movable rotary striker mounted in the upper portion of the casing, a removable bait-chamber connected with the side of the casing at the opening therein, and trip mechanism comprising a member affording a closure for the opposite end of the casing, and a pedal controlling said member.

19. A trap comprising a casing having an open end, a potentiallymovable Vrotary striker mounted in the upper. portion of the casing and having a rearwardly-extending arm, a lever pivoted at the upper portion of the rear end of the casing constituting a closure for the rear end of the casing, a bellcrank lever pivoted at the same point and engaging the striker-arm and having a bearing on said rst-named lever, and a pedal Within the casing near the bottom thereof, and having engagement at its rear end with the lower end of said first-named lever, for

the purpose set forth.

HENRY J. HOUTSINGER. HERBERT A. STILSON. In presence of- JOHN A. WARD, GEORGE BLITZ 

